St. Paul daily globe., 1887-12-29
In Ohio Lawyers Son Now in the
Penitentiary.
THE WAY HE GOT THERE,
and Something About His Daredevil
Early Hist9ry---His Sister Seeking
aPard0n.

who has been life prisoner III the OhlO
penitentiary during the past six years.
As a central figure in terrible domes-
tic tragedy, and as member of family
of prominence whose name has been
strangely intermingled with crime, 1t is
but natural that the sisters fearful pleas
for her imprisoned brother should at
least attract attention from people who
knew even a little of the sad story.
About the time this town, the county
seat of Belmont county, was laid out
ana named after Gen. Arthur st. Clair.
governor of the Northwestern territory,
Gen. James Weir was born over the
PENNSYLVANIA line among the Scotch
Irish settlers who thus early had peO-
pied that part of the state, and who to
this day impress it with their energy,
integrity and morality. The Weir
family soon removed to Belmont county,
Ohio. and there before the young man
was tWenty-one years of age, he was adj
mitted to the practice OF law. The early
St. ClairSville bar included Charles
Hammond. who became prominent as
the founder and editor of the Cincinnati
Gazette; Benjan in RuggleS, who repre-
sented Ohio in the United States senate
for eighteen years; eX-GOv. Wilson
Shannon. who defeated Tom Corwin,
and was in turn defeated by him, and
list of others who were well known in
their day. At tie bar James Weir was
said to be a close student OF his pro-
fession. an earnest and effective pleader
before jurieS, and
CLEAR AND LOGICAL EXPOUNDER
of legal principles before courts. He
went to the front rank, and his practice
grew to be large and lucrative. He was
married twice, and his large family of
children grew up to take their places in
the best society of the town and county.
The general fhiS title came from his
connection with the state militia serv-
ice) had one distinguishing fault. He
had an exceedingly violent temper. and
his requests OF desires admitted OF no
arguments nor delays. On this account
his domestic life was far from pleasant,
though no manifestation reached the
public. As the general grew older he
cared less for his law than for his leis-
ure, and besides his health was bad.
His practice drifted to the younger at
torneys, and in time his office was
abandoned. Some time before Mrs.
Weir had died, and during the next few
wears there were several deaths i'll the
family. BY the centennial year only
three children were left-JameS jT.,
George w. and Ada. The oldest, Jim,
was born in 1915; George, fifteen years
later, and Ada, six years younger than
George. George was bright boy, with
out any home training or restraining
influence. He led his class at school,
although one of the youngest scholars.
He grew up like wild weed. His
favOrite literature of his early youth
had been '.nickel library" and a %
caliber revolver had been almost his
narlincf- TlaN-fhInU He pRIIIn shoot
chip off the head of boy when he
could got one to 90 to the woods. Then
he would tie his Indian" to tree,
balance a piece of bark on the boys
head, and blaze away. He could easily
put bullet-hole through the intersec-
ton of two lines that he would chalk on
the coal house. The stables walls were
perforated everywher.', and pistol prac-
tice continually kept up made heyOung
man quite proficient i'll the use OF fire
arms. He was fond of
SHOOTING ON THE RUN,
or while falling backward, and so on
Mt all events he became known as
deadly shot with the revolver. His
youthful eScapades were numerous. He
ran away from home, went through the
yellow fever districts of the South. and
returned home in safety. After he left
school he began 10 study law-dull work
and monOIOnOus. And, before he was
eighteen years old, he was the acknOwl-
edged leader OF bad gang of burglars,
who were clever enough to execute the
plans that Weir arranged in detail. In
this gang was "Sterl'' Riggs, man
with robust constitution and powerful
muscular development. lie was man
of forty. His brother was police Off
Ger of the town, and probably through
his influence Riggs turned states evi-
dence and made statements under oath
that, SubStantiated, would have sent
Weir 10 the penitentiary. This was
early in 1880. Weir was arrested, fur
niShed bail, and the case was continued
until the February term of court of the
next year. On Christmas day Weir and
Riggs met face to face OH the streets at
high noon. Weir cursed his betrayer
for a moment and then, drawing a
double-actiOn revolver. pulled the trig
ger three times in succession. Every
shot was mortal, and the man was
helped To his feet only to die an instant
later. Weir'S arrest and early trial fol-
lowed. The murder was shown to be
deliberate and perfectly cOld-bleOded-
OF else that he acted in self-defense and
was not guilty of any crime. The jury
was unable 10 agree upon verdict. 1t
is said that eight of them favored YER
ulCl VI
der in the second degree. ThereupOn.
with the consent of the prosecution,
Weir pleaded guilty to murder
IN TIE SECOND DEGREE,
and was accordingly. in November of
1881, taken to the Ohio penitentiary to
serve out a life sentence. The Weir
homestead had begun TO look shabby.
1t hadn't been painted for long time,
and the old generals available funds
had been expended in lawyers fees.
Everything was heavily mortgaged, and
no one seemed to have the inclination
TO make the needed repairs. At the
house. besides the father, were the older
son Jim and the daughter Ada, who was
then fourteen years of age. 1t was
Jim's plan to have Ada adopted by a
lady who had offered to take care of her,
but the old man, feeble and lonely. OBJ
jected. jim urged it, and one day in
October. 1881. drew up the necessary pa.
perS for the general to sign. When he
refused Jin's extremely passionate nat
ure seized him, and he struck his father
blow that stretched him on the floor
1t was all over in moment Jim and
Ada carried the almost lifelesS body to
All adjoining room. and there he lay in
unconsciouSneSs until his death the
next day. jim fled, and his whereabouts
was never known, although an effort
was made to capture him. Ada left in
few weeks, while the estate was settled
up by an administrator appointed by the
court. Her return this week was uneX-
pected, as no one has heard from her
since her departure, six years ago. She
is now twenty years old, with a slight.
graceful figure of medium height. She
has regular features, ,delicately chiseled,
and they are given expression by bright,
hazel eyes. Her manners are pleasing.
She believes that she will be able to Sc
cure pardon for her brother George,
but her belief may have no more sub